My guess is that the person pushing the wheelchair is a paid attendant and pushing the wheelchair is part of his job responsibilities.

Some adults with disabilities prefer that their spouse or SO is not a caregiver, if at all possible. They prefer that the boundaries between spouse and caregiver not get too blurred. Of course, the finances of the average person often require that the SO be a caregiver and they simply have no choice.

My guess is that the person pushing the wheelchair is a paid attendant and pushing the wheelchair is part of his job responsibilities.

Some adults with disabilities prefer that their spouse or SO is not a caregiver, if at all possible. They prefer that the boundaries between spouse and caregiver not get too blurred. Of course, the finances of the average person often require that the SO be a caregiver and they simply have no choice.

That's what I was thinking. Liz certainly has the money. I could see her wanting - and being able - to keep the roles of significant other and caregiver separate. If I were in the same situation, I wouldn't want my significant other to have to take care of me.

It can be really difficult to carry on a conversation with someone and push a wheelchair, too. I used to have to practically dive over mom's shoulder to hear what she was trying to tell me -- and I could have heard her fine if I had been walking next to her.

Also, pushing wheelchairs can be just plain hard work, especially over carpeted or uneven surfaces.

He's walking and holding his fiancee's hand. What could be wrong with that? It's not up to us to pass judgment on how couples work out logistics like that among themselves. We could comment if he went striding down the red carpet while leaving her to struggle on her own, perhaps, but not this.

Note, he is holding her hand and some assistant (or Jim Cantore ;)is pushing her wheelchair.

To me, it just seems wrong that Mr. Winters is not pushing her wheelchair, but allowing someone else that privilege.

Perhaps she wants to hold his hand, I don't know. It just looks awkward.

Agree?

Disagree?

"Supposed fiance" means what? This is a real question-not a comment. I don't keep up with this sort of thing, so is there some reason to assume that her fiance is a fake and that makes it okay to pass judgment on her relationship?

That aside, I think it looks pretty sweet. Her fiance is holding her hand and being solicitous of her comfort. Her assistant is pushing the chair, a job for which he is paid, I would guess. Unless one of them has a problem with it, why on earth would anyone outside of them.

Logged

Lynn

"Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat." Robert A. Heinlein

I don't think this is awkward at all. The man pushing the wheelchair is (I assume) her employee.

I would no more expect Liz's fiance to take over her nurse/caregiver's duties than I would expect him to start doing her laundry, scheduling her appointments, cleaning the pool, or performing any other chores for which she has paid staff simply because they are engaged.

I think the reason we so often see spouses or loved ones pushing wheelchairs or performing other caregiving is because private attendants are priced out of reach for most of us. Ms. Taylor is fortunate enough not to have cast her sweetheart in the role of nurse.

I don't think this is awkward at all. The man pushing the wheelchair is (I assume) her employee.

I would no more expect Liz's fiance to take over her nurse/caregiver's duties than I would expect him to start doing her laundry, scheduling her appointments, cleaning the pool, or performing any other chores for which she has paid staff simply because they are engaged.

I think the reason we so often see spouses or loved ones pushing wheelchairs or performing other caregiving is because private attendants are priced out of reach for most of us. Ms. Taylor is fortunate enough not to have cast her sweetheart in the role of nurse.

I couldn't agree with all this more.

I have no real idea what it would be like to be in a wheelchair - but I think that, if I could afford it, as Liz Taylor clearly can, I would very much like to have the aspects of my physical condition that are limiting be handled/enhanced by paid employees, so that I could 'walk' alongside my fiancee as much as I could. I would want to mirror, as closely as physical possible, what it would be like WITHOUT my limiting physical condition.

And I completely agree that most people simply don't have that luxury. Ah, to be a rich as Elizabeth Taylor! ::sighs wistfully::